Café Amsterdam

If there were ever a time to frequent Café Amsterdam more often, now would be it. With the indulgent season past, perhaps you’ve got a resolution to kick-start a healthy eating plan via a vegetarian/ vegan plan.Let Chef Joan Gomez be your guide…

By now Café Amsterdam has been lauded by the press, tourists and dwellers of the isle, as one of the best food destinations in Bahrain. Having received much praise, we were thrilled to be sampling the new additions to the already burgeoning menu, filled with crowd-pleasing dishes.

You’re probably familiar with the overall style of Café Amsterdam – rustic at times, botanical in décor, clean and white washed in other areas. It’s conspicuously elegant without being nose-up opulent. As the light tumble of air wisped in and out of the restaurant from the open French-style doors, the atmosphere is very European springtime – a lovely setting to bask in when the warm afternoon light balances the crisp air.

The spirited, plucky Chef Joan emerges, practically skipping towards us, clapping his hands together and commences with a: “shall we get started?!” with the enthusiasm of a mountain climbing guide, leading a group of 20 people. He tell us that all the dishes are vegetarian/vegan friendly but hastens to add they are nothing short of tasty. First up was a Mexican Ceviche – elegant and unfussy in presentation – which included a mixture of raw fish and seafood: sea bass, prawns, squid and scallop, soaked in a dressing based with lemon, garlic, onion, herbs and lemon, roasted sweet potato, coriander and chilli. It had a real zing and kick to get you started. A non-intimidating, friendly opener if you will.

One for the vegans among you, a Warm Spring Onion Salad which had the most amazing seasoning and saucing for a dish which might seem a bit plain in name. It was a mix of seasonal leaves with two types of chargrilled red roast peppers, roasted spring onion and herb mayonnaise – it was the chargrilled element that brought out a fusion of flavours. An absolute delight of a surprise.

Another winning combo was the Flashed Micro Asparagus with Romesco and Mango Salad. This was indeed a striking set of colours on the plate as well as in flavour. For those of you who want a more hearty and stodgy option try the Wild Mushroom Pie – we guarantee you, you won’t feel too loaded after.

The puff pastry tart was warm and gooey without leaving you feeling heavy. And lastly, the Creamy Avocado Risotto (without cream or butter, using only the grease of the avocado) is a triumph of risottos, laced with rice, garlic, onion and coriander – it practically danced on our tongue it was that light. All throughout the meal, Chef Joan made it his mission to keep us happy and smiling and he definitely achieved that – his warmth and openness really brought the whole experience to life. Café Amsterdam’s story is only getting bigger and better – we urge you to make a trip and try out their new dishes.